


Seizure

by AutisticWriter



Series: Whumptober [29]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crying, Epilepsy, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Internalised ableism, Male Pronouns for Fujisaki Chihiro, One Shot, Prompt Fic, Secrets, Seizures, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Whump, Whumptober 2018, Worry, absence seizures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-11 00:05:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16464890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutisticWriter/pseuds/AutisticWriter
Summary: Byakuya has an absence seizure and Chihiro tries to work out what is going on.[Prompt 29: Seizure]





	Seizure

Chihiro never thought something as simple as walking into the boys’ locker rooms would bring him such happiness, but it really does. Ever since that night when he told Mondo his secret, Chihiro has told everyone that he is really a boy and… it’s such a weight off of his chest. He feels like he can finally be himself, Mondo is teaching him how to be strong, and he’s fitting in better with everyone. Well, the nice ones.

So with his tracksuit in his bag, Chihiro opens the door to the boys’ locker room and strolls inside with a smile on his face. He finds the place empty except for Byakuya, who sits beside a stack of books and reads. Byakuya glances up when Chihiro enters, but only to sneer before going back to his book.

“Hello, Byakuya,” Chihiro says, waggling his fingers and putting his bag down. “What are you doing in here?”

Byakuya huffs. “I’ve never seen you in here before.”

“I… could say the same to you.”

“Fair point,” Byakuya says. “I assume you are here to continue your plebeian plan to become strong?”

“Uh, yeah, that’s right. What about you?” And then it hits him, and Chihiro has to suppress a smile. “Are you… hiding from Touko?”

“If you must know, I have come here for some respite from her stalking. However, I am not hiding.” Byakuya adjusts his glasses, sneering at Chihiro again. “Now, please let me get back to my book.”

“Sure,” Chihiro says. “Um… you don’t mind me getting dressed?”

“This is a locker room. You are a boy, as am I. Just… be quiet.”

Chihiro beams, loving it when everyone acknowledges his big news. “Okay.”

And as Byakuya goes back to his book, Chihiro starts to get undressed. He unbuttons his dress and steps out of it, leaving himself in his frilly undershirt and bloomers; he seriously needs some new clothes. But as he slips off his shoes, something makes him flinch.

He looks up, eyes tracking the room. Chihiro hones in on the only other person here, and he frowns. Byakuya… he just stares into space, eyes not focused on his book anymore… and every few seconds, his incredibly still face moves enough for him to make a popping sound with his lips, before going still and silent again.

“Uh… Byakuya?” Chihiro says, tip-toeing across the room in socked feet.

But Byakuya doesn’t react, doesn’t look up or even flinch. He’s totally spaced out. But what’s going on? He doesn’t understand.

“Byakuya?”

The book slips from where it rested on Byakuya’s thighs, hitting the floor and snapping shut. But even though Chihiro jumps, Byakuya doesn’t react.

“Are you okay? Byakuya?”

His eyes sting, and Chihiro wills himself not to cry. He can’t cry over everything like he used to (even when everyone knew him as a girl, he cried twice as much as the girls). Chihiro kneels beside Byakuya, and places a cautious hand on his shoulder. But Byakuya doesn’t react.

Seriously, what is going on?

Chihiro considers dashing off to find someone, but he can’t leave Byakuya alone like this. He’s so spaced out… if someone came in and wanted to murder him, Byakuya wouldn’t be able to put up a fight. No, he has to stay here.

So Chihiro stays beside Byakuya, wearing just his underwear and fighting back tears, and just observes him.

When Byakuya turns his head slightly, the first time he’s moved that way in over three minutes (although it feels far longer than that), Chihiro jumps. He stares at Byakuya, seeing the confusion in his eyes – but confusion is better than blankness.

Byakuya blinks, starting to come back to himself… and his eyes lock with Chihiro’s. He tenses, and glares at Chihiro.

“What are you doing? Get out of my person space, and put some clothes on,” Byakuya snaps, but he seems a bit… groggy.

“Sorry,” Chihiro mumbles, scooting backwards. “It’s just… you’re back.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know, really. You just sort of… spaced out and wouldn’t react to my voice and you just sat there and I was worried about you, Byakuya!” he babbles, and despite his best attempts, Chihiro breaks down crying.

Of course, Byakuya doesn’t comfort him, but he didn’t expect that to happen. Instead, Byakuya frowns and adjusts his glasses, and huffs.

“Plebeian,” he mutters.

Chihiro sniffs and scrubs at his eyes. “Sorry. I just… are you okay?”

“I am fine, not that should be your concern.”

But when Chihiro continues to sob, Byakuya sighs.

“Shut up.”

“S-Sorry,” Chihiro says, sniffing.

“I suppose there is no point in hiding it,” Byakuya says, more to himself than Chihiro. “After all, I don’t trust that bear not to reveal it.”

“Huh?”

“Your secret was you crossdressing, was it not?”

“Uh, yeah,” Chihiro says.

“Well, the bear also has something on me. And despite his decision not to reveal them all after you chose to tell your secret, I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him. Look, you might as well know, but if you insist on spreading this as a rumour, I will make your life a misery.”

Chihiro stares at him, his tears starting to dry up. Is Byakuya… trusting him enough to reveal his own secret? “I… understand.”

“Good. Now, what you saw was an absence seizure.”

Now, Chihiro is a very bright person, but biology has never been a favourite of his. So whilst he’s sure a medical buff would have recognised the name or even recognised the signs in Byakuya’s behaviour, but it doesn’t ring a bell with him. “Seizure? I thought that was when someone passes out and starts writhing on the floor.”

“Hmph. That is simply one type of seizure. I also have those, but not as often. An absence seizure is what you saw, when I dissociated and became unresponsive. And this all occurs because I have epilepsy.”

“Oh,” Chihiro says. “But… why is that such a big secret for you?”

“Of course a plebeian like you doesn’t understand,” Byakuya says. “The world could not know that the heir to the Togami Group is defective.”

Chihiro blinks. Did Byakuya really just call himself defective?

“Regardless, I am fine now. Please leave me be.”

“Okay,” Chihiro says, and he wanders off to get dressed.


End file.
